[Cyberyeti]

2♣-(3♣)- now p(5-8) or x(0-4) both possible with this quacky piece of $%%^
3♥-3N
4♦-5♦
6♦

7♦ is clearly good, but less good opposite Jxxx, xx, Jxx, QJxx

[mike777]

pescetom, on 2026-January-24, 10:34, said:

Here is the other hand, sorry for the delay.

---

How would the bidding have gone with your normal partner, with or without the clubs intervention?

Ending up in 3c doubled certainly possible at this vul if the opponents are going to come in

[pescetom]

mike777, on 2026-January-25, 08:37, said:

Ending up in 3c doubled certainly possible at this vul if the opponents are going to come in

That would be -800 or -1100, a good affair for EW in a better room than mine.

[pescetom]

Cyberyeti, on 2026-January-25, 08:31, said:

2♣-(3♣)- now p(5-8) or x(0-4) both possible with this quacky piece of $%%^
3♥-3N
4♦-5♦
6♦

I suspect our contested auction would be identical, but with X denying a King or Ace.

But if North was particularly inspired, it might go:

2♣-(3♣)- X(no K)
3♥-3N
4♦-4♠(control)
7♦-P

That would be the first time ever that the first control-bid in the auction has to be a Queen.

[P_Marlowe]

pescetom, on 2026-January-25, 06:47, said:

Wow, an avalanche of auctions

This pair of hands is not good publicity for the 2♥ Red Flag response.

Hi,

I would not have bid 7D, I think 6D is enough.
Your p did well to show live, 3NT is nice

[pescetom]

P_Marlowe, on 2026-January-25, 11:14, said:

I would not have bid 7D, I think 6D is enough.
Your p did well to show live, 3NT is nice

Yes I thought 3NT was impressive for a beginner, especially as it turned out to have a real stop.
I figured it almost certainly contained diamonds and more likely than not one of the major queens, the grand does not look unlikely.
In any case, mentoring is not about winning the tournament and I deserve some fun with a hand like that

[pescetom]

Thanks to those who replied.

After some thought, I posted the play problem (with an invented auction to make beginner Declarer) on the N/B forum rather than here.
I don't think it should be any problem for an intermediate, but all our beginners (and "life novices" , as blackshoe puts it) made a pig's ear of it from either side.